The Harmony Westershire Chronicles
by Alessandra Guiseppe
Summary: This story involves action, suspense, a stalker, and a 15-year old girl who isn't quite what she seems... pleez R&R, I'm sick of checking for reviews every day and finding none...except for one very nasty anoymous one. I deleted it. I know, I'm a coward.
1. The New Gryffindor

Ok... ya, the disclaimer. I don't own HP or anything like that but I do own Harmony Westershire and beware if you try to use her ::growls:: Ya, I own the plot too. Please be gentle, this is my first fic. They'll get better, I promise.  
  
Chapter I:  
  
A New Gryffindor  
  
It was that time again. Back to school. Most Muggle children hate this time of year. However, it was the best time of the year for Harry. Well, I mean, who could blame him, living with the Dursleys... anyhow, I'm getting off track. Back to the story.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already on Hogwarts Express when the door of their car opened. A girl that looked their age walked in. She was very pretty, dragging a gigantic trunk with a wicker cat cage strapped on top. She had soft green eyes and auburn hair. None of them had ever seen her before. The girl had on a pair of jean capri pants, a red baseball shirt, sunglasses, and sandals. A black purse was slung over her shoulder. Ron automatically jumped up to help her. He had always been partial to a pretty face.  
  
"Is this spot taken?" she asked, gesturing toward an empty seat. She had an American accent.  
  
"Oh, no. Feel free. I'm Hermione Granger. This is Ron Weasley. And this is-"  
  
"Harry Potter. I know. Very pleased to meet you all. I'm Harmony. Harmony Westershire." Harry was surprised to see Harmony not look at his scar and still be able to tell who he was.  
  
"You're American, aren't you?" said Ron.  
  
"Yeah. I only ever go there on the summer holidays though."  
  
"I've never seen you before, Harmony. You look our age. Where did you go to school before?"  
  
"Beauxbatons. My grandmother went there, so she wanted me to go there too. My grandfather finally got fed up with them teaching me etiquette and `girly things' and sent Dumbledore an owl asking if I could attend Hogwarts. Of course, he said yes. My grandfather and Dumbledore are old friends."  
  
"How are they going to sort you? I mean, will you just put on the Sorting Hat or what?" asked Hermione.  
  
"To tell you the truth, I dunno. What House should I hope to be in?"  
  
"Gryffindor!" all three shout.  
  
"I take it that's your house?"  
  
"Of course! It's the best. Harry's our Seeker on the Quidditch team. In the third year he won us the Quidditch Cup! Last year he won the Triwizard Tournament...but I suppose you already know that?" Ron said apprehensively.  
  
"Yes. Fleur sent me an owl. We are close friends. She seemed to think very highly of all of you."  
  
There was an awkward silence. It was broken by Harmony. Of course.  
  
"Um, is it okay if I hang with you guys? I mean, you could show me where everything is, at least if I'm in Gryffindor. And you guys are really nice and not snobby. Unlike that ratty old Draco Malfoy I ran into on Platform 9 3/4..."  
  
"Oh, you've met him? Malfoy and Harry are archenemies. We all hate him." replied Ron, with a note of disgust in his voice.  
  
"Oh, I don't blame you. He tried to touch my face and called me his pretty. I bit him. He wasn't too happy," answered Harmony, gritting her teeth. Harry and Hermione laughed uproariously, but Ron stayed silent, gazing at Harmony with nothing short of admiration. As though she could sense him looking at her, Harmony turned around, smiling at him. Ron felt his heart jump from his chest. He was in love. Harmony smiled even wider, giving Ron the impression that she could tell what had just happened.  
  
Harry and Hermione glanced at one another. They had never seen Ron act like this before, not even with Fleur Delacore, the Beauxbatons Triwizard champion from last year, who was part veela. Now he was staring into the eyes of an American girl he had met fifteen minutes ago. Harry couldn't help but feel jealous. Harmony was staring into Ron's eyes with the same look in her eyes.  
  
Hermione spoke up. "Of course you can hang with us. We'd be honored."  
  
"Thanks so much. I don't know anyone in England, except a pen pal I had in Wales once...she was a Muggle though," answered Harmony, tearing her gaze from Ron's eyes.  
  
The compartment door opened. Harry, Ron and Hermione expected Ginny, Fred and George, or Neville Longbottom to come in. It was none of them though. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle entered.  
  
"Well, well, well, what have we here. Hey Weasley, where'd you get the American girl?"  
  
Ron stood up. Harmony did too. She placed her hand on his shoulder to hold him back. "Let me handle this," she whispered in his ear.  
  
" I don't believe you're wanted here, Malfoy. Actually, I don't believe you're wanted anywhere. But I suggest you stay away from this car."  
  
" Oh, yeah? And what are you going to do to me?" sniggered Malfoy.  
  
" You must have an exceptionally bad memory. Do you not remember that bite I gave you early on? Do I have to stir your memory a bit with another one?" Harmony replied coolly.  
  
Malfoy turned beet red, turned around and left. Harmony also turned around. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were staring at her with open mouths. She shrugged. "I have some rather useful acquaintances back in America. They taught me the use of a smart mouth and loads of comebacks. They were only Muggles, but not all Muggle tricks are useless."  
  
The whole compartment was filled with laughter.  
  
* * *  
  
Over the next hour Harmony met many people including all the Weasleys still at school, the entire Gryffindor House Quidditch team, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Parvati and Padma Patil, Lavender Brown, Lee Jordan, Cho Chang, and Neville Longbottom. Everyone stayed. Harmony became popular almost immediately. When the witch with the food cart came by, Harmony treated everyone to Chocolate Frogs and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. The witch left the car smiling, red in the face and with her hat askew. Her cart was half empty. A few hours later the car was so filled with bluebell colored bubbles that the windows had to be opened to let them out. Eventually, everyone left.  
  
" That was one wild party! Your brothers are great at entertaining, Ron. I'm glad everybody's gone now, though." She glanced at a tiny silver watch on a chain around her neck. " Oh, no! We're almost there! I haven't changed yet!" She dashed to her trunk and opened it. A wide assortment of things flew out, including a Sneakoscope, a crystal ball, and an Invisibility Cloak, which landed on the seat where Harry was dozing. He sat up and pulled it off of his head, crying hoarsely, " What happened? Where am I?"  
  
" I'm sorry Harry. I was a bit tightly packed and when I opened my trunk, everything sort of flew out. Sorry."  
  
Harmony bustled about collecting everything that had flown out, and then began digging in the trunk. A loud meow from the wicker cat cage made her stop. She opened the cage. A small, lean, black kitten leapt out. " Sorry, Boo," she cooed. She reached inside the cat cage and pulled out a small owl cage. Inside was a baby snowy owl. " Sorry `bout that, Tundra." She then let it out. It nipped her finger and began flying around the car. Harmony resumed digging in the trunk. She pulled out a black cloak, a silver cloak, beautiful silver silk dress robes, silver high heels, black platform boots, plain black tights, and plain white tights. Her books were at the bottom, with her plain black robes. She pulled one of these out and a small silver case. Inside this case was a wand, about 12 inches long. This was confirmed when she pulled it out and muttered something about 12 inches long, phoenix feather, hazel, bendy. Then she pulled out a pointed black hat, gathered up her robes,  
tights, black boots, and cloak and tore out of the car to change.  
  
Harry and Hermione conversed quietly once she had gone. Ron just sat there and stared at Harmony's trunk with a remorseful look in his eyes. Harry finally broke off his and Hermione's conversation.  
  
" Hey, Ron, you okay?" he inquired.  
  
" Not really."  
  
" What's wrong?"  
  
" Look at her trunk. She's rich. Once she finds out how poor I am-"  
  
" She won't care. She already likes you. I can tell. Why should she care if your poor or not?" interrupted Harry.  
  
" He's right, you know. Sparks flew when you looked at each other earlier. It was love at first sight." Hermione added.  
  
" I hope you're right...Oh, hi Harmony!"  
  
Harmony had returned looking much more composed. She grinned, then began packing her trunk up again.  
  
Soon Harmony was packed up again and began staring out the window. The others went to change into their school robes. Ron came back first. Without turning around, Harmony said, " They were right, you know."  
  
" Right about what?"  
  
" Me liking you. I like you very much, you know. Will you go out with me?"  
  
Ron's ears turned beet red as he stood there staring unintelligently at Harmony with his mouth hanging open. " What does that mean?" he whispered feebly.  
  
" When a Muggle likes another Muggle, they ask the Muggle they like if they will go out with them. It's like dating. So will you?" she explained, her face getting closer and closer to Ron's every second.  
  
" Yeah. I love you, Harmony. At least I think I do. Its not like how I felt with the other girls. I really think I'm in love."  
  
" Good." Harmony whispered, giving Ron a kiss on his cheek. " I love you too. I know I do."  
  
Harry and Hermione burst in talking animatedly as Harmony settled into her former position, gazing out the window.  
  
* * *  
  
" Professor Dumbledore, sir, my name is Harmony Westershire. I'm new. May I ask where I am supposed to go?"  
  
It was several hours later, at Hogwarts. Harmony was inquiring where she should go. Dumbledore looked up, surprised. " Hmmm, Westershire, I know your grandfather well. You seem to have befriended Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger, so you can go with them. See me later, after the feast. We shall then ask the Sorting Hat where you should be."  
  
" Thank you sir. Indeed I shall see you later."  
  
Harmony rejoined Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They trouped up to the castle with the other students. Harmony was having trouble tearing her eyes from the old castle.  
  
" Magnificent," she muttered. " Stunningly beautiful. So rough, yet so homey. I could definitely learn to love it."  
  
When she got inside, she was even more stunned. In the Great Hall, she could not stop staring at the ceiling that was bewitched to look like the sky outside.  
  
" Where should I sit?" she asked Ron.  
  
" Right beside me, my dear," he replied with a grin.  
  
After the scrumptious feast, Harmony went up to the staff table accompanied by her three new friends. Professor Snape stopped them.  
  
" Mr. Potter? Mr. Weasley? Miss Granger? What are you doing here? You should be going to your Common Room with the others. And who is your little friend?"  
  
" Excuse me Professor, I am Harmony Westershire, and I have business with Professor Dumbledore, so if you would kindly remove yourself from my path, I would be on my way."  
  
" Let them through, Severus. The young lady does have business with me."  
  
Dumbledore spoke in a tone of voice that made Snape stand aside immediately.  
  
" Well, then, young lady, let us see what house you shall be in. Just put on the hat and we'll see what happens."  
  
" Thank you sir. That I will!"  
  
Harmony placed the hat on her head, upon which the hat shouted immediately, `Gryffindor!'  
  
" Thank you Professor. May I ask where my common room is?"  
  
" I believe your friends shall know where it is. Oh yes, the password is `cream puff'."  
  
The four friends exited Great Hall and started finding their way toward the Gryffindor House common room. They met more than one suspicious sight but by far the most suspicious was three pairs of shoes, one small and two gigantic, disappearing around the corner. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had heard the Gryffindor password.  
  
* * *  
  
" Well, what can we do? I mean, we can't give `em a Memory Charm. That would raise suspicion. And, well, does anybody have any other ideas, ones that we could do?" Harmony whispered to the rest of the Gryffindors. " They could be out there right now, waiting for us to go to sleep."  
  
" Then we won't go to sleep!" Fred yawned.  
  
" Aye, we'll be up waiting for the blood-thirsty savages to burst through our front door and woe and behold to any who try to oppose us!" George shouted sleepily.  
  
" Shut up! McGonagall'll hear you! Besides, we can't stay up! Look at you two! You're a mess!" Harmony hissed.  
  
" Maybe we should tell her. Or Dumbledore. They can change the password." Hermione suggested quietly.  
  
" No! We must catch them in action! Malfoy'll just say that he had to ask Snape a question and didn't mean to hear the password. And everyone knows Snape'll stand up for him. If we catch them in action there'll be nothing he can say or do that'll get him off." Harry replied, in a rather irritated tone of voice.  
  
" Don't get snappy, Harry. We have to pull together to get through this. And Hermione has a point. I don't see how we can stop them. Malfoy's out either to steal something or hurt someone. And the latter is more probable." Harmony glanced at Harry.  
  
" Now, we have to make a plan. Should we tell the Fat Lady or not?"  
  
" I don't see why not. None of the teachers really talk to her, do they?" Hermione said in a nervous whisper.  
  
" Right then, Fred, George, and Lee, you go out and tell her to not let any student, except us, the Gryffindors, entry. That should do it. No way Malfoy could do anything. If he told a teacher the Fat Lady wasn't letting him in, they would know he had been trying to get in. And if he tried to cut her painting, well, Filch can restore her and she could tell us who it was. And-" Ron was interrupted by Harmony.  
  
" Wait! It won't work! What if Malfoy tells Snape the password? And if we told the Fat Lady to not let teachers in...well, no one would be too happy. Everyone knows how much he would like to hurt Harry, and he's not too fond of the rest of us...especially me-"  
  
" How do you know?" asked Ron.  
  
" If you were Snape, would you like me very much if I smarted off to you on our first meeting and then were told off by your boss because of me?" retorted Harmony.  
  
" No, I guess I wouldn't!"  
  
" What did you say?" urged George.  
  
" Well, he was in my way when I was trying to get to Dumbledore and spoke to these three and myself quite rudely, so I spoke rudely back."  
  
" What did you say?" Fred excitedly repeated. Everyone was excited about hearing someone put down Snape.  
  
" Okay, I said ` Excuse me Professor, I am Harmony Westershire, and I have business with Professor Dumbledore, so if you would kindly remove yourself from my path, I would be on my way.' and then Dumbledore said ` Let them through, Severus. The young lady does have business with me.' and then Snape got out of the way fast."  
  
The Gryffindor common room throbbed with laughter. No one liked Snape the least little bit.  
  
" Ok, everyone, get in bed! Miss Westershire, I'll see you in my office!" McGonagall had just then walked in. Harmony pulled herself out of her chair and followed her out of common room.  
  
" Miss Westershire, hmm, I knew your father well. I couldn't believe it when he married that Muggle. She always despised of anything out of the ordinary. I'm very sorry about his death."  
  
" Please call me Harmony, Professor. And my father is not dead."  
  
" What's that, my dear? What makes you say that?"  
  
" Nobody found any evidence, therefore I refuse to believe he is dead."  
  
McGonagall changed the subject rather fast. " Well, my dear, what extra subjects would you like to take this year?"  
  
" Care of Magical Creatures and Divination."  
  
" Well, that was the quickest response to that question I've ever heard!"  
  
" That's what my friends are taking."  
  
" Oh, yes. You've asked them?"  
  
" No. I just know these things."  
  
Professor McGonagall became the second one that day to realize that they weren't dealing with an ordinary person. 


	2. Love At First Sight

Chapter II:  
  
Love At First Sight  
  
The first week back at Hogwarts was wonderful. Harmony got along marvelously with all the teachers. It seemed all of them knew either her grandfather or had known her father. Hermione asked once what had happened to Harmony's father.  
  
" My father was a powerful wizard, you know. An Auror. He was an Animagus too. Turned into a snow leopard. My mother was a Muggle. She had no idea that my father was a wizard or that her child was a witch. My grandma told me when I was nine. But my mother didn't know and my father had no intention of telling her. Well, when my Hogwart's acceptance letter came, by owl post of course, my mother was mortified. I was sent away by my father just before...well, really, I can't say what before, because no one knows. I have not seen my father since that night, but lived with my grandparents. My grandmother was against my going to Hogwart's, so I went to Beauxbatons instead. My mother was accused of killing my dad and now she's in a Muggle prison. I'll never see her again. I refuse."  
  
" Oh, Harmony! I'm so sorry! I had no idea your dad was, well, dead!" Hermione shouted collapsing onto Harmony's shoulder and throwing her arms around Harmony's neck.  
  
" He's not," Harmony said quietly.  
  
" What? But you just said..." Harry trailed off.  
  
" I never said he was dead. He's not. Every once in a while I see a snow leopard watching me from some dark alley. Now, tell me, if someone was an Animagus who turned into a strange animal like that and was supposed dead, would it be merely a coincidence that their daughter kept seeing that animal in dark alleys? I think not. Besides, I just know he isn't dead."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other. " What do you mean?" Ron spoke their thoughts aloud.  
  
" Well, I suppose I should tell you this...but privately, of course." Harmony looked around at the busy common room. " Come on. We can go to the library. You just say that you're showing me when it is."  
  
They quietly left the common room, totally disregarded because the Weasley twins had set off six Dungbombs.  
  
An excited silence followed the four friends down the hallway. Upon entering the library, they found the small candles at the tables burning brightly, but no one in sight but Madam Pince, the librarian, asleep at her desk. Harmony led them to a table far in the back and sat down. Ron promptly sat down opposite of her. Harry and Hermione filled in.  
  
" Now, you are my friends and I would never hurt you," Harmony began in a hushed voice. " You need to know this first off. I can tell what each of you are thinking right now. Harry is thinking ` What is she talking about?', Hermione is thinking, ` Fascinating! I have a real psychic for a friend!', and, well, frankly Ron's thoughts are a bit too private to be spoken aloud," she glanced at him with nothing short of extreme admiration.  
  
" That's how you know your father's not dead!" Hermione exclaimed in an eager whisper.  
  
" One of the many things I know. If I concentrate really hard, I can sense his thoughts. Right now he's missing me and the real world. Imagine how it must be to be mistakenly thought dead!"  
  
" Why can't he just come back? Can you tell?" asked Harry.  
  
" No, that's just it! He never thinks about it and I if I'm so far away from someone, I can't know what has happened in their past!" mumbled Harmony.  
  
" Does anyone else know he's alive?" Hermione inquired.  
  
" No. I haven't told anyone but you and of course everyone thinks he's dead. No one would believe me anyway. Well, we'd better get back. The Dungbombs have cleared and they're looking for us."  
  
Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Ron had a glazed look about him and was obviously lost in his own thoughts. Harmony stood up and led the way out. Somehow she found the way. Harry was very anxious. He was in company of a girl his age that knew more than the oldest, most wizened wizard. She knew her father wasn't dead when everyone thought he was. She knew her mother was innocent, but wouldn't tell anyone. Harmony knew his own thoughts at that moment. Harmony knew everyone's thoughts. She had said Ron's thoughts were too private to be said aloud. But Ron must tell Harry. They were best friends! Ron couldn't keep a secret, not from Harry! Harry must ask him later. As they were entering the common room though, Harmony waited to go in last, then whispered in Harry's ear, " He will tell you when he's ready. Don't rush him, please."  
  
Maybe it's not so bad having a friend who's a psychic, he thought, knowing Harmony could hear him as though he had spoke aloud.  
  
* * *  
  
Ron didn't sleep at all that night. He just lay there, staring out the window at the stars through the red-velvet hangings on his four-poster bed. He was dating a girl with psychic powers. A girl who could read his very thoughts at any moment. But he still loved her. He had always admired pretty girls, but Harmony was...well, she was just different. But did she love him? Did she even like him? Or did she just pity him, as so many do, he thought angrily. Oh, how he hated being poor! He finally fell into a light sleep with many nightmares of giant spiders.  
  
Ron awoke the next morning grumbling and tired. He decided he must tell someone. And that someone was Harry.  
  
" Harry! I need to talk to you!" Ron hissed in Harry's direction.  
  
Harry woke up immediately, peering out of the velvet curtains and crying hoarsely, " What? Is the dementor here? Ahhhhhhhhhhh! What is it doing here? Dumbledore'll be furious!"  
  
" Harry! Harry! It's okay! There's no dementor here! I just need to talk to you!"  
  
" Oh," replied Harry. " Great. Just give me a second..."  
  
Harry pulled on his robes and his glasses and looked at his watch.  
  
" Ron! It's 3a.m! What are we doing up!"  
  
" Oh, sorry, I didn't know it was that early. Well, we're up anyway, so I need to talk."  
  
Harry followed Ron out of the 5^th year boys' dorm and down the stairs to the common room. Ron settled into one of the armchairs closest to the fire and Harry settled into the one across from it.  
  
" Harry, I haven't been talking to you that much and I'm sorry. I'm just...very incredibly surprised," Ron paused. " I'm dating Harmony, Harry. I'm desperately in love with her-" Harry snorted. Ron ignored him, but noted the pained look in Harry's eyes.  
  
" You don't have to tell me. I already know."  
  
Harry snorted again. " What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
" I begged her...she told me...very reluctantly, mind you..."  
  
" She told you what?" Harry said, an agitated edge to is voice now.  
  
" She-she told me you were jealous...of me...was she right?"  
  
" I-I was a little bit...when we first met her..."  
  
Ron and Harry sat in an uncomfortable silence for quite awhile. Finally, Harry offered Ron a game of wizard's chess, which Ron was very good at. Ron couldn't refuse because he knew Harry was just trying to make him feel better. They played until dawn, when others began straggling down. Hermione came down first.  
  
" Oh, no! Where's my schedule? Do you know what we have today?"  
  
" Well, I know where I'm going today...I think. Let me see...this morning we have...wait, what's today?"  
  
" Friday, Ron." Hermione stated, rolling her eyes.  
  
" Oh, yeah! We have...oh no! We have Double Potions this morning...with the Slytherins again...and Divination this afternoon!"  
  
" Then that means I have Arithmancy and Ancient Runes this afternoon. Good! Oh, hi Harmony! Divination...that reminds me. Why exactly did you choose to take Divination? I mean, you have all those psychic powers and mind-reading ability..."  
  
" Oh, it's just that Trelawney and my father were old rivals back in school, and I decided to uphold family tradition. Besides, I have more of an aura than her by far. She can't read minds and uses tea leaves. Ha! That's no way to read omens! Crystal balls and pure psychic powers are the only ways to read the future. She does do crystal balls. I must give her that. But the tea leaves ruin all of the right things she does. Tea leaves!"  
  
Harmony seemed to be enjoying herself at Double Potions. Snape couldn't even find one thing wrong with Harmony's poison antidote. It was the perfect color (electric blue) and perfectly thick (about the consistency of cream cheese). Snape couldn't even find any reason to take points off Gryffindor because of Harry or even Neville. He did comment that Harry's antidote was too dark and that Neville's was too watery.  
  
That afternoon Harry, Ron, and Harmony climbed up the ladder to Professor Trelawney's little classroom. The heat was positively stifling. Harmony almost passed out because of the heavy perfumed smell of the fire. She plopped down into a pouf beside a table. Harry and Ron followed suite. Harmony was silently staring at a spot in the shadows, the exact spot where Professor Trelawney appeared a moment later.  
  
" My dear students," she began in her misty voice. " My dear students. Harry my dear; I see you are still with us. Quite fortunate on your part. I see you are troubled. Perhaps a betrayal of one close to you?" She lifted Harry's chin so she could see his eyes.  
  
" Sure, he's troubled, lady. He doesn't want the paws of a liar on his face," Harmony snorted.  
  
" And who might you be, my feisty dear?"  
  
" I'm not your dear, and if you're as `All Knowing' as you claim to be, you should know that."  
  
" Yes. Of course. Westershire...so sorry about your father, Harmony. That's what he gets for being so foolish as to marry that...Muggle."  
  
" I'd appreciate it Professor, if you would not insult my father so very much. He is a great wizard."  
  
" There's no is about it, Miss Westershire. Your father is dead and good riddance to him as well. I could have sworn he was on the Dark Side. But no one would've believed me had I voiced my thoughts aloud. Sam Westershire, they would have said. Never! He's just perfect-"  
  
" Aye, so they would've. And you would never admit it, but you agreed," Harmony retorted in a quiet voice. " That's why you were so against him marrying my mother. You were in love with him yourself."  
  
A hushed silence fell in the room. Even Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown were staring open-mouthed at Trelawney. No one had ever really got the best of Trelawney, not counting Professor McGonagall. Everyone knew McGonagall didn't consider Divination a magical art, but pure nonsense. Trelawney's way certainly was, but somehow Harmony's wasn't. It was more practical and down-to-earth. It wasn't misty or closed-up and didn't even seem mysterious.  
  
The prospect of one of their teachers being in love with the supposedly dead father of one of the students undoubtedly appealed to the Divination students. Trelawney couldn't quiet them down for anything the rest of the whole class, no matter how much she rattled on about the incredible position of Neptune. When class was finally over, Trelawney looked as though she had just aged about 20 years. Not even her favorites, Parvati and Lavender, had paid the least bit of attention to her. How did young Harmony know? How could she be so heartless to have said it aloud? "Well, a tiny voice at the back of Trelawney's head whispered, you made some pretty rude remarks about her father... and she's a psychic. You'd do well to be nice to her." Trelawney had always listened to this voice before, for it was her telepathic voice, but this time she refused.  
  
Back at the Gryffindor common room, all was chaos.  
  
" Harmony, that was amazing! How did you know that?"  
  
" Hey! There you are! Do you know anything about Snape? I could really use something to get back at him with!"  
  
She flatly refused any requests for secrets about the staff. " My powers aren't meant to be used that way," she would reply.  
  
Finally, with crestfallen faces, Harmony's peers let her be. She grinned after them and called, " But I will tell you anything and everything about any student who isn't in Gryffindor."  
  
The crowd roared and turned around. Harry got to her first and shouted over the chattering crowd, " Tell us anything and everything about Draco Malfoy!"  
  
Harmony smiled real big. " I thought you'd never ask. Well, for starters, Malfoy is not like his father in the opinion about You-Know-Who. Draco's father is a big supporter of You-Know-Who, and, incredibly, Malfoy is against him! Also, the Malfoys aren't quite as rich as they put forth. And- this is a big one, people- Malfoy's mum is a Muggle born witch! Draco didn't even know that. I had to search deep into Lucius' mind to find it, and concentrate really hard. Draco's not as cool and calm as he appears. He still sleeps with a teddy bear! And-no I won't tell you this one because it taints me as well..."  
  
Harmony's audience applauded loudly, but looked at one another with puzzled looks. They knew exactly what she meant in her last sentence, but it couldn't possibly be true; Draco Malfoy, the most evil Slytherin in the whole school, in love with Harmony Westershire, the perfect Gryffindor? It just didn't work! No wonder Harmony didn't want to voice that finding aloud.  
  
Harmony pulled herself out of the armchair she was sitting in and walked toward the Fat Lady's picture. " Well, I'm off to the library. Got to get cracking on the History of Magic essay about house elves, er, haha!"  
  
" Harmony, we have to work on it too. Wait for us!" Hermione called after her with a sideways glance to Ron and Harry. They followed her out.  
  
" Hermione, I know for a fact that you finished that report last week. What are you doing following me?"  
  
" Umm, I dunno. Well, you seemed a bit uneasy..."  
  
" Of course I'm uneasy! Draco Malfoy likes me! Do you have any idea how that feels? Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that. I know that you're just trying to help..."  
  
" Forget it. You were riled up and, well, who could blame you?"  
  
" Not me most certainly!" Harry said, elbowing Ron to make him say something. But Ron stayed silent. You could tell he was concentrating hard. Harmony's face lit up and she smiled at him.  
  
" Well, we should probably go on to the library. They won't be expecting us back for at least an hour," Harmony said cheerily.  
  
" So, can you tell us anything about Snape? We won't use it..." Ron said slyly as Harmony laughed.  
  
* * *  
  
" Ok, I'll tell you something about Snape." Harmony's words brought low cheers to Harry and Ron, who had been pestering her as she searched through the stacks in the library. Even Hermione let Harmony take a break after an hour of relentless slaving over the books about house elves.  
  
" Well, to start off, Snape liked my mother. He thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. They met in London, where she and my father lived until my mother became pregnant with me. My mother was fascinated by the Muggle street that led to Diagon Alley. She always said that there was something there she couldn't see. She had some magic in her after all. Anyhow, for Snape it was love at first sight. My mother was disgusted by him though. Thought of him as the nasty slime ball he is. Now, if my mother was any good at all, it was because of her cleanliness. She couldn't stand dirt or grease. And, well, Snape is nothing but dirt and grease. She stayed away from him and this made him mad, so he decided to go to war against our family."  
  
" So why was he so nice to you this morning?"  
  
" Umm, I don't know whether I should tell you this or not..."  
  
" Come on, we won't tell!" Harry said jovially, and also carelessly, as he found out when Hermione poked him.  
  
" Harry, you're being very insensitive! She doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to!"  
  
" No, Harry's right. I need to get it out. You guys are my best friends and I would trust you with my life, let alone a secret that I have which isn't my shame. It's Snape's."  
  
" The reason he was being so nice to me is because he thinks I'm beautiful. Even more than he thought my mother was."  
  
" Well, you are, Harmony, at least to me," Ron whispered. Hermione did not yet know their secret and looked at Harry with a very confused look. Harry returned the look with one that explained almost everything; he had unwittingly given her a wounded look filled with jealousy. Hermione glanced at the door with raised eyebrows and he gave her a nod. They slowly made way toward the door. Madam Pince was nowhere to be found. Just as the door closed behind them, Harmony fell into Ron's arms.  
  
" You don't know how I feel, carrying around people's secrets that I have no right to know! The pressure is just horrible. I made grandfather send me to Hogwart's because the girls at Beauxbatons kept pressing me to tell them things about the other girls and I am very unhappy to say I gave in one more than one occasion. Those girls were hurt by what I told the others. The burden of knowing that is bad enough, but knowing how they actually felt, how much they cried at the taunts of the more popular girls, that's too much!" Harmony sobbed onto Ron's shoulder.  
  
Ron had no idea how to comfort a girl sobbing on his shoulder and was completely bewildered. They just stood there for about ten minutes, clinging to one another. Finally Ron lifted her head so she was looking straight into his eyes, and said,  
  
" Hon, I dunno what to say. I've never held a girl before, never felt the way I do about you with any other girl. I love you, Harmony." There he kissed her full on the lips. When she felt his tongue, she responded with her own. She saw the fire in his eyes, but, even though she knew their future, and it leaned in this direction, she couldn't. Not yet.  
  
" I-I can't. Not yet. Please don't. Don't hurt me," she hoarsely whispered.  
  
" Harmony, I won't, not if you don't want too. I understand. But why do you think I would?"  
  
Harmony's eyes were far too honest to keep any emotions inside. They unwittingly betrayed her secret.  
  
Ron groaned. " Harmony, no tell me it's not true. Nobody could ever hurt you. Nobody," he said gruffly.  
  
" Not unless I let them. He told me he loved me and he would never hurt me. I believed him. I let him take advantage of me."  
  
" Didn't your powers tell you he was up to know good? And who is he?"  
  
" I ignored them, but, yes, they did tell me. And that certain someone's name was Gilderoy Lockhart." 


	3. Surprise, Surprise

Chapter III:  
  
1 Surprise, Surprise  
  
Ron gasped. "Lockhart? No way! He was our teacher! I always thought he was a little weird, but I never thought he would hurt anyone! Oh, Harmony, no! He didn't hurt you, he didn't! Not like-like that! Oh, hon, we'll find him and punish him! We'll hurt him-"  
  
"Ron, sweetie, we're not going to hurt anybody. I'm okay now, but I can't. Not yet."  
  
"Let's get back, otherwise they'll be starting rumors. I don't want that to happen."  
  
Harmony led the way out of the library and back to Gryffindor Tower, in complete silence. Ron's head was filled with thoughts, swirling around, and she was trying very hard to sort them out, so she could tell him anything he needed to know. She highly doubted that even he could, though, so she finally gave up. Harmony decided instead to think her own thoughts. She found herself wandering back to the days when she thought she was in love with Gilderoy Lockhart. She recalled the night he bent over her while she was lying on the bed, him stripping the clothes off her. She remembered her own bloodcurdling scream as she realized what he was doing. Then it all went black as she fell into the deep realms of sub-consciousness.  
  
* * *  
  
"Harmony, no, what happened, honey? Hang in there! Oh, no, what did I do?" Ron's voice cleared away the black mists inside Harmony's head. It was about an octave higher than usual. She opened her eyes and sat up groggily.  
  
"Ron! Sweetie, what am I doing here? I'm fine, now at least. Did I scare you?"  
  
Ron nodded sullenly.  
  
"You didn't do it. Lockhart did it. His memory…of that night… it was horrible…"  
  
Ron stayed silent, but his thoughts were racing. He was practically crying, asking her if she wanted a cup of tea, wanting to kiss her again, and offering to go find Madam Pomfrey. " A cup of tea would be nice," Harmony said simply. " And maybe a kiss…"  
  
Ron grinned mischievously through the tears that had just sprung up. He bent over to kiss her and as soon as their lips touched, the door burst open. Harry and Hermione rushed in breathlessly. They began to back out when they realized what they had walked in on. Harmony pulled away and smiled at the newcomers. She read each of their thoughts; Hermione was just wishing that someone would kiss her like that, but Harry's thoughts were more serious. It was all he could do to keep from shouting out at Ron,  
  
"How could you hurt her?" so Harmony decided to answer it before he did say it aloud and cause further problems.  
  
"It's okay, Harry. Ron didn't hurt me. It was…someone else." Harmony said directly at Harry. He flushed red and gave Ron a sheepish look. Ron didn't seem too bothered and gave Harry a 'hey, it could happen to anybody so forget it' look.  
  
Hermione had an honestly concerned look. "Who was it?" she asked. "Who hurt you?"  
  
"It was an old hurt rather than a new one. It was… I don't know if I should tell you… it will hurt you even more than it hurt Ron…"  
  
"Ron, you tell us then," Harry urged.  
  
"No, not if Harmony doesn't want me to tell. She'll tell you when she's ready," Ron said rather sternly.  
  
"It's okay. I can tell you now. Hermione, this might come to a surprise to you. Don't blame yourself though. I fell for him too."  
  
"It was Gilderoy Lockhart," Harmony said matter-of-factly as Hermione gasped.  
  
"No, tell me you're kidding! Harmony, nobody could hurt you! Nobody!"  
  
"As I said to Ron, they couldn't unless I let them. I let him. I ignored my telepathic voice. Oh, it was horrible! He told me he loved me and that he would never hurt me! I was so stupid! He was like ten years older than me or something, but I was just a naïve little kid! I listened and almost let him get at me. But at the last minute I realized that he didn't love me and he was just using me. I kicked him and bit him and smacked him and he finally got off. Then I ran all the way home. He's still after me. He found out I was going to Beauxbatons after he regained his memory from that Memory Charm he gave himself three years ago. That's why I had to come here. I'm so sick of running and I'm not going to anymore. I'm staying here and he can't stop me."  
  
"Harmony, how old were you when this happened?" Harry said, alarmed.  
  
"Ten," Harmony replied miserably.  
  
"Harmony! We have to tell Dumbledore! Or McGonagall! They have to know! He could do this to someone else! We have to stop him!" Ron shouted.  
  
"He won't. He's after me and no one else. And he's getting closer."  
  
"Harmony, he could kill you! We have to tell someone! Where is he now?" Hermione sobbed, with tears streaming down her face.  
  
"London," Harmony said dully. " You don't have to tell anyone. He's not going to kill me. Don't worry about me. I have the makings of the best fighter in the world because I know just what my opponent is thinking and can prevent it. Hush, Hermione, crying doesn't help anything. Where are we anyway?"  
  
Ron answered. "Empty classroom. I carried you in here after you fainted."  
  
Harmony looked slightly stunned. "You carried me in here?"  
  
"Yah, why?" Ron replied, seemingly puzzled.  
  
"I'm heavy!" Harmony responded, patting her stomach. "You're a lot stronger than I took you to be, and for my misjudgment I beg your forgiveness," Harmony said to Ron with a look of unlimited love.  
  
Ron shrugged awkwardly in reply. Hermione cleared her throat loudly, and Harry realized she was still crying, gazing hungrily at Ron and Harmony with strong desire that seemed to be a material thing, and not just a feeling. Harry realized with a jolt that this was his own feeling as well. He could hardly stand looking at two people as deeply in love as Ron and Harmony, seeing as he didn't even have a girlfriend of his own to hold and cherish. Harry felt a strange kinship with Hermione that he'd never felt before with anyone.  
  
"Should we be getting back now?" Hermione whispered timidly, her voice cracking.  
  
Harmony pulled away from Ron somewhat reluctantly. "Yes, of course, but answer me one thing; how did you two know that I fainted and where we were?"  
  
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances. Harmony and Ron were watching with great curiosity.  
  
"Well…" Hermione began slowly.  
  
"We didn't really ever go away…" Harry continued.  
  
"We followed you…" Hermione said uneasily.  
  
"But we're really sorry and we'll never do it again!" Harry finished, with a voice like that of a small child who had done something wrong, but done it in fun and innocence, been caught, and was now apologizing to his mother.  
  
"It's fine," Ron laughed.  
  
"And, yes, let's get going back," Harmony giggled. She had found Harry's "accent" very amusing and was having trouble standing up.  
  
As the walked down the hallway toward the Gryffindor Common Room, Ron and Harmony hand in hand, Harry had an insane urge to grab Hermione's hand. He refrained, though. After a time, Hermione spoke.  
  
"Harmony, that reminds me. Is Malfoy going to break into the Common Room and dormitories?"  
  
"No," Harmony replied simply.  
  
"Then is Snape?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Hermione, Harry, and Ron gasped. "When?" Hermione asked anxiously.  
  
Harmony checked her watch, the silver one on her necklace. "Hmmm, about three hours, thirty-three minutes."  
  
Hermione, Harry, and Ron gasped again. "What's he going to do?" Harry asked breathlessly.  
  
"He's after me. He's going to break into our dormitory, Hermione. Lavender and Parvati are going to scream, of course. Hermione, you would be past screaming if I wasn't telling you what is going to happen right now. He'll go straight to my bed and I'll be waiting with my wand. He's looking for something, though, and not trying to kill me. I can't tell you what this thing is because it will put you all in mortal peril. He shall not have it. I'll be in his way to get at it, thus he will throw me out of the way. My wrist will break. I am no stranger to pain, so that won't be a big deal. Snape-"  
  
"Will be thrown out?" Ron said eagerly.  
  
"Nope. He'll resign," Harmony replied matter-of-factly.  
  
"Wow," Harry said in quiet awe. "He must really like you!"  
  
"Unfortunately," Harmony answered with a disgusted look.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione thoroughly rattled, the four friends walked back to the common room.  
  
* * *  
  
It was three hours later and Hermione was far from being asleep. She felt uncomfortable that Harmony had refused the boys' offer to stay in the dormitory with them and was now sleeping peacefully.  
  
Exactly thirty-three minutes later, Hermione heard a noise outside the first year Gryffindor girl's dormitory.  
  
* * *  
  
Harmony hadn't gone to sleep. Looking like she was asleep when she wasn't was a specialty of hers. She lay there, waiting tensely, for three hours. Hermione wasn't asleep. She was peeved at Harmony for refusing the boys offer to stay the night with them. Oh, well. Snape would've been able to bluff his way through that scenario and get them all detention for a month while he did it.  
  
Thirty-three minutes later, Harmony sat up, wand ready, as Snape came through the door to the Gryffindor girl's dormitory.  
  
* * *  
  
"So, Westershire, you knew I was coming," Snape whispered.  
  
"I've known for a long time, Snape," Harmony growled back. Hermione was whimpering in her bed and Lavender and Parvati were just waking up.  
  
"May I ask how you knew?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You know what I want, Westershire." It wasn't a question.  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
"Make it easy on yourself and hand it over now."  
  
"No."  
  
"I can make your life miserable. Give me the necklace."  
  
"I'll never give you the necklace. And you could make me life miserable, but you wouldn't."  
  
Snape didn't know what to say to that. "Give me the necklace," he shot back lamely.  
  
"I'm only a little girl. A big man like you should be able to take it from me! But then, you're not a big man, Slytherin scum," Harmony teased.  
  
Snape leapt onto the bed. Harmony pulled her sleeve back. On her arm was a watch. "Potter, I need backup. You and anyone else you can find get in here! Send Longbottom to get McGonagall," she said into the watch.  
  
Harry's voice came over the watch. "We'll be there in two!"  
  
Snape froze. "What the hell is that and why is Potter's voice on it?"  
  
"I figured that you, of all people, would know what this is, Snape. It's a voice transmission device, from the Ministry. Over this thing, I can contact any Ministry worker I want to, whenever I want to."  
  
"Why the hell does Potter have one, and where did you get one?"  
  
"Irrelevant."  
  
Snape realized all of sudden that that voice transmission device could be the end of him. He lunged at Harmony and grabbed her wrist. It twisted. Harmony squealed and Snape let go immediately, backing against the wall.  
  
"You didn't have to do that. It was too late already. You're finished, Snape. It's all over," Harmony rose from the bed, bloody. Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Dean burst into the dormitory.  
  
"Freeze, Snape. You're not getting away this time," Harry told him in an official-sounding voice. He peered over at Harmony's bed, and the bloody sheets. "Harassment of a juvenile. That'll count against you. Ron, get your girlfriend over to the Hospital Wing. Neville should be getting here with McGonagall soon."  
  
Ron, looking very serious, helped Harmony get down the stairs to the Common Room and out into the corridor.  
  
"Lighten up, Ron. It's no big deal, honey. Really," Harmony said gently.  
  
"Sorry, baby. I just can't bear the thought of Snape putting his hands on you."  
  
It was true, too. Ron was literally in despair over the fact that Snape had broken his girlfriend's wrist.  
  
"Ron, honey, I'm fine. Really." Ron snorted. He didn't reply out loud. They spoke no more until they reached the hospital wing and woke up Madam Pomfrey.  
  
"Oh, dear. What happened?" she asked when she saw Harmony's wrist.  
  
"Classified," Ron answered. Harmony could tell that he really wanted to tell the nurse what had happened, to tell her what a bastard Snape is. He refrained, keeping all this inside.  
  
Madam Pomfrey put Harmony in a hospital bed and shooed Ron out. "Don't worry. Your girlfriend will be fine!" she confirmed, leaving Ron speechless.  
  
Harmony read Madam Pomfrey's thoughts. She had seen a wound just like this before. That's odd, she thought. The nurse was thinking, "What's Severus done now?"  
  
Okay, I'll admit. This chapter's five pages shorter than most of the other ones are. I don't care. I've been working on this chapter for ages (writer's block!!!!) and I really wanted to update this story. I HATE THIS STORY!!!!! Okay, I'm gonna go work on the 6th chappie of 'Truth'. 


End file.
